27/11/2021
THROW BACK
Abiola was friends with IBB and supported him with finance during the ouster of Buhari.
The IBB coup that toppled the draconian Buhari regime on August 27, 1985, the coup was welcomed by NIgerians.
After almost eight years of dribbling Nigerians (Chief Bisi Onabanjo nicknamed Babangida Maradona, after the famous Argentine footballer), IBB finally announced that he would hand over power to an elected successor come August 27, 1993, the eighth anniversary of his coup.
Because they were friends, Abiola believed him despite glaring evidence that Babangida was insincere...
Initially, Abiola was not too sure whether he should plunged into politics again especially after his bitter experience in the National Party of Nigeria, NPN, during the Second Republic.
On a journey to Senegal, during his universal campaign for reparation from the West for victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
Abiola was asked in a whether he was interested in running for President. He replied, “What else do I want in running from Lagos to Taraba, and between Imo and Ondo?” he asked with a flourish. “Some of us have gone beyond that! I want things that would unite us, not divide us.”
Few weeks after this disclaimer, Abiola joined the SDP and sought to run for President under the option A4 formular which pitched him on the home front against other contenders like Otunba Olabiyi Durojaiye, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi and Mr Gbolabo Ogunsanwo.
By the time of the SDP Convention in Jos, Plateau State, the battle had been reduced into a three-corner combat.
Despite the massive support Abiola had across the country, he knew it would be difficult for him to win because one of his opponents, Babagana Kingibe, a smooth-talking former diplomat and estranged protégé of General Sheri Musa Yar’Adua (Elder brother of President Yar’Adua) had the support of most of the governors.
In his South-West home base, only Governors Olusegun Osoba of Ogun and Governor Isiaka Adeleke (Davido’s Uncle) of Osun, were with him.
Both Governors Kolapo Ishola of Oyo and Bamidele Olumilua of Ondo have pitched their tents with Kingibe.
Yar’Adua was banned from running for president by the IBB regime, so Yar’Adua decided to field a young former custom officer, Atiku Abubakar.
This was 1993. The results after the first ballot of the primaries held in Jos was: Abiola had 3,617 votes, Kingibe 3,255 votes and Atiku with 2,066 votes.
Atiku and Kingibe considered joining forces combining 5,231 votes to challenge Abiola.
However, after Yar'Adua asked Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the campaign, with Abiola promising to make him his running mate. Atiku stepped down.
Abiola was later pressured by SDP governors to select Kinigbe as his VP running mate.
He did not name Atiku as his running mate. (Atiku is on this platform. He can confirm this)
Instead he left Jos without pronouncing his running mate. Yar’Adua feels played and slighted by Abiola’s craftiness.
IBB called to congratulate Abiola and offered his advice on who should be his VP
At their meeting in Aso-Rock, the new presidential villa, Babangida said Abiola should name the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Paschal Bafyau, as his VP
He said the Nigerian military would not support a Muslim-Muslim ticket and because of that dismissed the idea of an Abiola-Atiku ticket.
At that time, there was no love-lost between IBB and Yar’Adua.
Abiola said Kingibe was the choice of the governors but he would prefer Air-Commodore Dan Suleiman, a former air force officer and military governor.
So Governors wanted Kingibe
IBB wanted NLC president Pascal Bafyau
Abiola wanted Dan Suleiman.
On May 1, 1993, Dr Doyin Abiola, the Editor-in-Chief of the Concord Group of Newspapers, issued a press statement announcing the choice of Kingibe as Abiola’s running mate
That effectively ended the friendship between Abiola and his two friends, IBB and Yar’Adua
From that point on, it was difficult for Abiola to get Babangida on the phone.
A Cold War began.
Abiola went ahead to contest against the candidate of the National Republican Convention, NRC, Bashir Tofa.
The presidential election on June 12, 1993, was generally seen as free and fair and unofficial result gave victory to Abiola.
IBB annulled the result.
A new and final chapter had thus been opened in Abiola’s colourful and rewarding life.
He decided to challenge the annulment of his victory by his old friend, IBB
Yar’Adua, who controlled the SDP party machinery through his ally, the durable Chief Tony Anenih, refused to rally the SDP to support Abiola.
The governors, elected on the platform of the party, were not sure of what to do.
Abiola decided to look for new friends. He found General Sani Abacha. It was the kiss of death.
It was a strange friendship.
While Abiola was flamboyant and gregarious, Abacha was taciturn and deep.
He was the great survivor whose craftiness and staying power overwhelmed men who appeared more brilliant and outgoing.
With the encouragement of Abiola, Abacha toppled the Shonekan, the board room titan who had been shoved in to manage the turbulent interregnum after IBB fled from Abuja.
Abacha put some of SDP people in his govt including Kingibe. That sealed Abiola’s fate.
TO BE CONTINUED
Abiola lost his wife, his entire business empire and eventually his freedom to the machinations of the Abacha govt.
Fun-facts. Shehu Yar’adua was the god of SDP.
He had deep connections and Infact was The Godfather having young Turks at his behests
Among those young Turks were Atiku, Kwankwanso and surprise surprise, Tinubu, President Umaru Yar’adua and Kingibe (before he fell off). ~ Morris Monye
